Question

1. A pharmaceutical salesperson has just brought in a supply of non-prescription vitamin samples for the physicians in your practice to dispense to their patients. These vitamins are a new, expensive variety that is being given away to patients who are on a limited income and cannot afford to buy them. The other staff members take the samples home for their families' personal use. They tell you to do the same as the samples will become outdated before the physicians can use all of them. It would save you money. a. What do you do?

b. Is your action legal? Why or why not?
c. Is your action ethical? Why or why not?
d. Does your physician/employer have any responsibility for the dispensing of these free non-prescription vitamins? Explain your answer.
e. What precautions should be taken when storing nonprescription medications?

Answer 1

a) I won't take them.

b) Yes, my action is legal. Based on the outlines of medical board, a healthcare provider must not take home medicine on the basis of favor due to bias unless prescribed or bought for health use.

c) Yes, it is ethical. By upholding the medical ethics conduct, beneficience, non-maleficience and autobomy misconduct is avoided.

d) Yes, they'll be responsible and answer to the law. No, they won't if they choose not to dispense the vitamins.

According to WHO, dispensing must occur after prescription where the side effects and benefits of certain drug are assessed by health care provider and prescribed to a patient. As HCW, the act of dispensing is sorely based on pharmacists and when done otherwise it inteferes with choice of the patients and cultivates non-altruism.

This act is condoned in home physicians when pts are too sick to visit health centre and require home assistance.

Thus, if they don't dispense the better but when they do it's not ethical.

e)

1. Store them away from direct sunlight.

2. Store them in room temperature with no humidity unless required by manufacturer.

3. The drugs must have expiry date and manufacturing dates to understand their shelf life.

4. Keep the drugs in original containers.

5. Follow the first in first out rule.